| | |  Americas & Beyond 
Secrecy About Drug Boss Defended
 Dane Schiller - Houston Chronicle
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January 13, 201
 |  | It is also quite understandable that U.S. government officials want to keep much of the information he provided to them sealed.
- Bruce Bagley |  | | |
Lives will be endangered and investigations compromised if the public knows what is going on between former drug boss Osiel Cardenas Guillen and the U.S. government, federal prosecutors contend.
Cardenas remains in U.S. custody after being extradited from Mexico to Houston three years ago to face charges he ran a murderous underworld empire known as the Gulf Cartel.
He is accused of making millions of dollars as his syndicate moved tons of drugs through Houston and farther into the United States.
Speculation that he would consider a deal to tell federal officials what he knows in exchange for leniency intensified last year after his trial was dropped without explanation. Most court orders, hearings and documents from 2009 remain secret.
Argument for secrecy
In a report submitted to U.S. District Judge Hilda Tagle, a prosecutor says that if 18 documents in the case are unsealed, there is a “substantial probability that the physical safety of individuals would be placed in jeopardy, that ongoing investigations would be jeopardized and that the defendant's right to a fair trial would be affected.”
Some written arguments supporting continued secrecy are sealed. Tagle is based in Brownsville, but the case is assigned here for security reasons.
Cardenas faces multiple life sentences if convicted. The U.S. government offered a $2 million reward for his capture.
His lawyers contend his right to a fair trial will be jeopardized if the public knows the secrets.
Defense lawyer Mike Ramsey said via e-mail that any attempt by the media to speculate what is going on would likely lead to a false story.
Judge wants reports
The judge ordered those in the case to submit reports on what should be secret following an October request from the Houston Chronicle that the case file be unsealed to inform the public on the actions of the government, such as whether Cardenas pleaded to charges behind closed doors or reached a deal with prosecutors.
Chronicle lawyer Jonathan Donnellan, asked Tagle to unseal documents and transcripts from closed hearings. He also asked that future sealed actions first be justified by public reasons why closed courtrooms and secret documents trump the First Amendment.
Bruce Bagley, who studies drug trafficking for the University of Miami, said even if officials won't confirm a deal is in the works, Cardenas has likely provided considerable information to the United States, possibly to get himself or his family in the witness-protection program.
“It is also quite understandable that U.S. government officials want to keep much of the information he provided to them sealed in order to prevent the Gulf Cartel members still operating from learning how much the American (officials) know about the Gulf Cartel and the affiliated (gangsters) still operating in the drug trade in Mexico.”
dane.schiller(at)chron.com
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